Chevrolet Cavalier

The Chevrolet Cavalier convertible, previously configured byASC Incorporated, was a full factory-assembled production model for 1984.

The 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier got quad rectangular headlights and a new grille for this model year -- the Cavalier's first appearance change since being introduced. Also, model names were shuffled around, with the sportier "Type 10" designation now applied to coupe and hatchback models along with the convertible (it was previously restricted to the hatchback).

Sedans and wagons now came in base and flashier CS trim. Convertibles, which were released late in the 1983 model year in limited quantities and color choices, were in full-scale production and available in eight different hues.

Sole powerplant on Cavaliers was still the throttle-body-injected 2.0-liter four, rated at 86-horsepower, down somewhat from 1983. Four- and five-speed manual transmissions were offered, as well as a three-speed automatic.

Prices rose a bit this year, and Cavaliers were criticized for being rather expensive once optioned to the level that most buyers wanted them. The cheapest model, the base four-door sedan, now listed at $6,222, and the convertible started at a whopping $11,299.

Yet sales more than doubled from the previous year, reaching an impressive 462,611 units -- making Cavalier the new number-one seller not only at Chevrolet but in the entire United States.